Container cover

ABSTRACT

A one piece cover for a container with a hand actuatable tearstrip portion to provide a pour opening and to form a closure for the opening. The cover is adapted to be semi-permanently attached to and thus ordinarily difficult to remove from the container. The tear sections which define the pour opening and the tearstrip portion seal the contents of the container and make it possible to ascertain that the container had not been previously opened, and the closure forms the means for re-closing the container when not in use. In addition, the closure and the cover are provided with a spout for dripless pour flow.

United States Patent 1 1 3,659,756 Lancaster May 2, 1972 1 CONTAINERCOVER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] lnventor: John KennethLancaster, 630 Eagle Lane, l.188,465 3/1965 G ma y --222/54l Palatine,Ill. 60067 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves [221 Flled: June 1969Assistant ExaminerFrederick R. Handren [21] Appl. No: 836,090Att0rneyFrank R. Thienpont [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl..222/531,222/54l,222/556 A one piece Cover for a container with a handactuatable [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 47/08, 865d 47/10 tearstrip portion toprovide a pour Opening and to form a [58] FIeld ofSearch..222/l53,53l,54l,532,556; Sure for the opening The Cover is adapted tobe Semi per 215/42 manently attached to and thus ordinarily difficult toremove from the container. The tear sections which define the pour [56]References Cited opening and the tearstrip portion seal the contents ofthe container and make it possible to ascertain that the container hadUNITED STATES PATENTS not been previously opened, and the closure formsthe means 53 X Size-52:1?$323221;mm,":2 2132321? ,2: 3,227,330 1/1966Sadler... ..222/541 x polnflow p p 3,338,445 8/1967 Lange ...222/54l X3,419,198 l2/l 968 Petterson ..222/541 7 Claims, 10 Drawing FiguresCONTAINER COVER This invention relates to covers for containers andembodies a tamperproof and leakproof seal for the contents of thecontainer which may be readily and easily opened by a simple handaction. The hand removable tearstrip which defines the pour openinginitially is completely sealed in the plastic by very thin connectingintegral portions of the plastic. The thin connecting portions are tornby a simple hand ripping action which breaks the seal. This tearing ofthe seal enables the consumer to ascertain that the container has notbeen previously opened, assures him of the sanitation of the contentsand that the quantity is as stated on the container. Once opened bytearing the tear section, thus breaking the seal, and lifting thetearstrip, a suitable pouring spout is formed which enables the user topour without dripping and thus reduces waste. If the entire contents ofthe container are not initially completely used, the tearstrip, nowbeing a closure member, again can be releasably secured in a reclosedposition.

Other features of this invention include the fact that the cover isdesigned to be semi-permanently attached to the container so that it isnot ordinarily removable by the consumer. It may be returned with thecontainer to the bottler or vendor who will then remove it and replaceit with an unused cover completely sealed as before. The cover embodyingthis invention is also such that it can be embossed while beingprocessed and can be made of readily available flexible plastic.Probably only limited retooling of existing cover equipment is necessaryto adopt and make this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective viewillustrating the cover embodying the present invention and a portion ofa glass milk bottle;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the tearstrip open showingthe contents being poured;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the cover illustrating in more detail thepouring arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the container and coverin cross section;

FIGS. 5 and 5a are a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 ofFIG. 1, FIG. 5a being an enlarged portion of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention;and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a closure illustratinganother embodiment of the tearstrip or closure arrangement for sealingthe container near the thumb grip tab.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, the cover 10embodying the present invention is shown engaged to the neck of aconventional milk bottle 12. The bottle 12, shown more clearly in FIG.4, is provided with a neck opening or dispensing mouth which terminatesin a peripheral lip 14, conventionally an enlarged rim or bead on theedge of the bottle.

The cover 10 is seen to comprise a flat, disc-like body portion 16 ofsome thickness and surrounded by a depending skirt 18 formed integrallywith portion 16. The skirt has a lower lip 20 formed inwardly which isadapted to be in tight sealing engagement with the under surface of thebottle opening lip or bead. As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the skirtportion is radially spaced from the portion 16 to define therewith aninverted substantially U-shaped recess 21 which receives the lip 14 ofthe bottle 12 in sealing engagement. The recess 21 is defined in part bya wall 22 which extends down into the bottle 12 and sealingly hugs theinside surface of the bottle. The resiliency of the plastic materialpermits the skirt portion 18 with its lip 20 to be pressed over the rim14 in semi-permanent sealing engagement therewith. This makes itordinarily quite difficult for the consumer to remove the cover so thatthe cover will be returned with the bottle where it will be removed andreplaced with an unused cover when the bottle is refilled.

The portion 16 is provided with a hand tearout pour opening 24 which isdefined generally by tear sections 26 and 28. These tear sections beginat the outer periphery of the disclike portion as at 30 (FIG. 5a) andextend laterally and then inwardly as lines 26a and 28a slightly beyondthe bottle rim to form a grip tab. The tear sections then follow thegeneral contour of the rim 14 as tear section portions 26b and 28b toform a semicircular pour opening finally terminating slightly beyond onehalf the bottle opening at a straight line hinge 34 which provides ahinge for the tearstrip 36 integral with the portion 16. Tearstrip 36,which also forms a closure member for the pour opening, may extendinwardly into the bottle neck as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 7.Tear strip 36 may be slightly thicker and extend upwardly above theupper surface of portion 16 to make a clearly discernible closure memberas more clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5. The tearstrip 36 alsoextends outwardly beyond the bottle rim and skirt 18 so as to form athumb gripping portion or grip tab 38 for the tearstrip. The undersideof the tearstrip or closure member 36 is formed with a cavity or recessdefined by convex surface 40 which, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 openstoward the bottle rim so as to form part of a pouring spout when theclosure member 36 is opened. The inner wall 22 is interrupted to providean opening 42 defined by spaced wall portions 42a and 42b as shown inFIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The portion of the skirt 18 adjacent the grip tab 38,as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 5a, is formed with an inclined wall 44 whichterminates at the grip tab 38. Thus there is formed a unique pouringspout which is more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

To recapitulate when a container with the present invention is handledby a consumer, he can visually inspect the cover and determine that thecontents of the bottle are intact by noting that the tearstrip iscompletely intact at the tear sections. Then, to open the container, hesimply grabs the grip tab 38 and pulls upwardly, ripping the tearsections 26 and 28 to the hinge 34 and pours contents from the bottle,such as shown by way of example in FIG. 4.

Turning now to FIG. 8, it is to be noted that in the interest of savingmaterial, the central portion of the closure member 36a can be cored,that is provided with thin walls such as shown at 46 and, similarly, theremainder of the top portion 16 can be cored, or provided with thinwalls such as shown at 48, to reduce the amount of material being usedin the cover. Otherwise, the function and the operation of the coverdesignated as 10a is similar to that shown in the previously describedfigures.

FIG. 9 shows an optional configuration of the skirt portion to which thetab 38 is attached by the tear section. The upper part of the skirtportion has an upper slanted wall 43a inclined downwardly and outwardlyas distinguished from the downwardly and inwardly inclination as shownin FIG. 5. This is another means of connecting the tearstrip to the sidewall at the initial tear section to form the pouring spout area.

What is claimed is:

l. A resilient plastic cover for a container comprising:

a disc-like body portion,

holding means integral with said body portion for attaching said coverto said container,

a hand tear out pour opening in said cover,

closure means closing said pour opening including a tearstrip, saidtearstrip having a gripping tab formed at one end and a hinge at theother end thereof integrally securing said closure means to saiddisc-like portion, and spout means formed in part as a recessed surfaceon the underside of said closure means and in part on said holdingmeans.

2. The cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spout means comprises arecessed surface on the underside of the cover means exposed when saidclosure is opened and a cutaway portion on said holding means.

3. The cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said holding means comprisesan annular skirt depending from said body portion and a side wallportion as part of said body portion and spaced from said skirt todefine recess means adapted to grip the rim of the container.

4. The cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure means is definedby spaced tear sections on said body portion and extending into a partof said holding means, said gripping tab being manually engageable torip along the tear sections to form the hand tear out pour opening.

5. The cover as defined in claim 3 wherein said closure means is definedby spaced tear sections on said body portion extending into a part ofsaid annular skirt, said gripping tab being manually engageable to ripalong the tear sections to form the hand tear out pour opening, saidgripping tab and closure means being adapted to engage with said bodyportion and skirt in container reclosed position.

6. A resilient plastic cover for a container comprising:

a disc-like body portion,

holding means integral with said body portion for attaching said coverto said container,

a hand tear out pour opening in said cover,

closure means closing said pour opening including a tearstrip, saidtearstrip having a gripping tab formed at one end and a hinge at theother end thereof integrally securing said closure means to saiddisc-like portion, and tear sections comprising a first peripherallyextending portion disposed between the top of said holding means and theunderside of said body portion, spaced portions extending substantiallyparallel from each end of said peripherally extending tear sectioninwardly a distance substantially the thickness of the container rim anddivergent portions generally paralleling the edge of the container andextending to a chord forming said hinge for the closure means, the topof said skirt adjacent to said first peripherally extending tear sectionbeing provided with an inclined side wall facing inwardly of thecontainer.

7. A resilient plastic cover for a container comprising:

a disc-like body portion,

holding means integral with said body portion for attaching said coverto said container,

a hand tear out pour opening in said cover,

closure means closing said pour opening including a tearstrip, saidtearstrip having a gripping tab formed at one end and a hinge at theother end thereof integrally securing said closure means to saiddisc-like portion, and

tear sections comprising a first peripherally extending portion disposedbetween the top of said holding means and the underside of said bodyportion, spaced portions extending substantially parallel from each endof said peripherally extending tear section inwardly a distancesubstantially the thickness of the container rim and divergent portionsgenerally paralleling the edge of the container and extending to a chordforming said hinge for the closure means, the top of said skirt adjacentto said first peripherally extending tear section being provided with aninclined side wall facing outwardly of the container.

1. A resilient plastic cover for a container comprising: a disc-likebody portion, holding means integral with said body portion forattaching said cover to said container, a hand tear out pour opening insaid cover, closure means closing said pour opening including atearstrip, said tearstrip having a gripping tab formed at one end and ahinge at the other end thereof integrally securing said closure means tosaid disc-like portion, and spout means formed in part as a recessedsurface on the underside of said closure means and in part on saidholding means.
 2. The cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spoutmeans comprises a recessed surface on the underside of the cover meansexposed when said closure is opened and a cutaway portion on saidholding means.
 3. The cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said holdingmeans comprises an annular skirt depending from said body portion and aside wall portion as part of said body portion and spaced from saidskirt to define recess means adapted to grip the rim of the container.4. The cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure means is definedby spaced tear sections on said body portion and extending into a partof said holding means, said gripping tab being manually engageable torip along the tear sections to form the hand tear out pour opening. 4.The cover as defined in claim 3 wherein said closure means is defined byspaced tear sections on said body portion extending into a part of saidannular skirt, said gripping tab being manually engageable to rip alongthe tear sections to form the hand tear out pour opening, said grippingtab and closure means being adapted to engage with said body portion andskirt in container reclosed position.
 6. A resilient plastic cover for acontainer comprising: a disc-like body portion, holding means integralwith said body portion for attaching said cover to said container, ahand tear out pour opening in said cover, closure means closing saidpour opening including a tearstrip, said tearstrip having a gripping tabformed at one end and a hinge at the other end thereof integrallysecuring said closure means to said disc-like portion, and tear sectionscomprising a first peripherally extending portion disposed between thetop of said holding means and the underside of said body portion, spacedportions extending substantially parallel from each end of saidperipherally extending tear section inwardly a distance substantiallythe thickness of the container rim and divergent portions generallyparalleling the edge of the container and extending to a chord formingsaid hinge for the closure means, the top of said skirt adjacent to saidfirst peripherally extending tear section being provided with aninclined side wall facing inwardly of the container.
 7. A resilientplastic cover for a container comprising: a disc-like body portion,holding means integral with said body portion for attaching said coverto said container, a hand tear out pour opening in said cover, closuremeans closing said pour opening including a tearstrip, said tearstriphaving a gripping tab formed at one end and a hinge at the other endthereof integrally securing said closure means to said disc-likeportion, and tear sections comprising a first peripherally extendingportion disposed between the top of said holding means and the undersideof said body portion, spaced portions extending substantially parallelfrom each end of said peripherally extending tear section inwardly adistance substantially the thickness of the container rim and divergentportions generally paralleling the edge of the container and extendingto a chord forming said hinge for the closure means, the top of saidskirt adjacent to said first peripherally extending tear section beingprovided with an inclined side wall facing outwardly of the container.